Dishwashing Soap 101

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Whenever you’re shopping for dishwashing liquid to use in your yard or garden, make sure you choose a brand that’s made with pure, mild soap. Avoid any product that contains detergents or degreasing agents. They can harm your grass (or any other plants that they touch). And whatever you do, avoid all products that boast their antibacterial prowess. Not only will they damage your greenery, but they’ll also kill off good bacteria along with the bad – and that can cause big trouble.

There is one exception to this rule, and that is when the soapy solution will not come in contact with valuable plants. If you’re aiming to destroy weeds, clean inanimate objects, or kill pests that you’ve removed from your plants, feel free to use any kind of soap or detergent you have on hand – and make the “medicine” as strong as you like.

Aeration is a classic technique for loosening up compacted soil, as well as solving minor thatch problems. But even healthy lawns can benefit from a regular airing-out. The process simply involves poking holes in the soil, so that air can reach the grass roots – followed quickly by food and water. You should perform this task on a regular basis, following this simple two-part strategy:

1.Every few weeks, strap on a pair of aerating lawn sandals, and stroll back and forth across your lawn. Or, simpler yet, wear traditional, spiked golf shoes whenever you mow the lawn or do other yard chores. Besides improving the health of your lawn, the spikes will give you more secure footing on the grass.

2.Once a month throughout the growing season, combine 1 cup of beer and 1 cup of dishwashing liquid in your 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, and fill the balance of the sprayer jar with warm water. Then spray your lawn to the point of runoff to help keep the soil nice and loose and fluffy. Note: Anytime a recipe calls for dishwashing liquid, do not use detergent or any product that contains antibacterial agents.

Now’s the time to clear the air inside of your home after it’s been closed up all winter long. But if you use chemical air-fresheners, all you’re doing is filling the air with chemicals that cover up the unpleasant aromas. They also interfere with your sense of smell, so you don’t notice bad odors as much. Fortunately, there are many terrific, natural alternatives, including:

Act with vim and vinegar. Just pour a little white vinegar into bowls, and set them around the problem areas. The acidic liquid will banish the unwanted smells pronto.

Burn your troubles away. Throw slices of dried citrus peel (your choice of flavors) into the fireplace. Your whole house will be filled with a wonderful fragrance.

Light a candle. Better yet, light several. But don’t bother with the fancy, scented kind. Like spray air-fresheners, they’ll add odor-masking chemicals to the air. On the other hand, a pure candle flame will simply burn away foul-smelling gases (even the ones that occur in bathrooms every now and then).

“Adopt” some houseplants. The more of them you have around your house, the cleaner and fresher your air will be. That’s because green plants naturally absorb and neutralize air pollutants. What’s more, they do an especially good job in small, enclosed rooms, where the air quality is usually worst. Any kind of plant can perform this feat, but according to NASA scientists (who certainly know about tight spaces), these are the air-cleaning superstars:
* Aloe vera
* Chrysanthemums
* English ivy
* Fig tree
* Spider plants

This spring, I want you to consider using plants that naturally repel insects instead of applying toxic pesticides. Here’s some of my favorite plants that have their own chemical defense systems. When planted among flowers and vegetables, they help keep unwanted bugs away.

Pest Ants Aphids Codling Moths Colorado Potato Bugs Cucumber Beetles Flea Beetles Japanese Beetles Leaf Hoppers Mexican Bean Beetles Slugs Spider Mites Squash Bugs Thrips Tomato Hornworms Whiteflies

Plant Repellent mint, tansy, pennyroyal mint, garlic, chives common oleander green beans, coriander nasturtium radish, tansy garlic, onion, mint garlic, tansy, rue, geranium geranium, petunia onion, garlic, petunia, marigolds rosemary, wormwood onion, garlic, cloves, chives radish, marigolds, nasturtium marigolds marigolds, sage, borage marigolds, nasturtium

Spring has sprung, and with it comes time spent in the great outdoors. Whether you’re gardening, playing sports, or just enjoying a leisurely stroll in the sweet spring sunshine, make sure that you don’t overdo it.

But if you do and you need fast sunburn relief, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt in a glass of ice-cold milk. Sponge the solution onto your skin once or twice a day until the pain is gone.

And before summer sandal time rolls around, start softening your feet up now with a simple salt rub. Just add a few drops of your favorite scented oil to 2 tablespoons or so of warm water, and mix in enough salt to make a paste. Pat the mixture onto your feet, rub with a washcloth for 2 to 3 minutes, and rinse.

But what if your feet are just plain tired from overdoing it? Just soak ‘em in a basin of salty water for about 15 minutes or so. Use about 1 cup of salt per gallon of warm water for soothing relief.

Mower Maintenance Made Easy

It’s time to start thinking about mowing your lawn again. And that means keeping your mower in tip-top shape. If you follow these tips this year, you’ll breeze through your lawn mowing without a single hitch:

1. Don’t be a gas hoarder. Never store more than a month’s worth of gas in your garage or shed (and at today’s prices, who can afford to?). Old gas is prone to having water condensation in it, which will gum up the carburetor.

2. Let it breathe clean air. Check out your air filter; replace it when it gets dirty. Otherwise, dirt will sneak into the engine, wearing down vital parts and making starting a real hassle.

3. Give the blades plenty of elbow room. Before you start your mower, look underneath it. Clear away any built-up grass or other debris.

4. Remember the oil. Depending on how much lawn you have and how often you cut it, change the oil at least once a season. Too little oil can put a death grip on your engine—a costly fate for you!

5. Keep the cooling fins clean.

6. Check the belt condition and tension each time before you mow.

7. Sharpen the blade every third mowing. And keep at least two back-up blades handy and sharp.

8. Wipe down all the rubber and plastic parts with Armorall® once a month to keep them from drying out, cracking, and disintegrating.

9. Wipe down all chrome and metal parts with WD-40® every few weeks to keep them from rusting and sticking.

10. Check out all safety controls (automatic shutoff, all-wheel control, etc.) before each use.

When I talk to folks about my make-‘em-yourself tonics, one of my favorite topics is vodka. People can’t believe what you can do with it (besides drinking it); here’s a few of my favorite alternate uses:

Looking for a new brand of mouthwash? Don’t buy it! Make your own instead with this simple formula: Put 3/4 cup of vodka and 20 drops of lemon juice in a bottle with a tight cap, shake well, and let it sit for one week at room temperature. To use it, mix 1 part solution with 2 parts distilled water, and gargle.

Here’s a simple alternative to aerosol hair sprays: Just peel and chop two lemons, and put them into 2 cups of boiling water. Let the mix simmer until the fruit is tender, cool it, and strain it into a spray bottle. Add 1 tablespoon of vodka, and shake well. If the potion is too sticky, dilute it with a little water.

For an environmentally friendly deodorant, fill a clean canning jar with grass clippings from a lawn that has not been treated with chemicals. Cover the clippings with vodka, close the jar tight, put it in a cool, dark place for 7 to 10 days, and shake it now and then. Strain out the clippings, and pour the liquid into a bottle. (An old, clean roll-on deodorant bottle is perfect.) If you don’t have a roll-on bottle, apply with your fingertips.